Hydro One selects AtkinsRéalis to expand key substation to power Toronto from new Darlington SMRs

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AtkinsRéalis

Nov 06, 2025, 07:45 ET

MONTREAL, Nov. 6, 2025 /CNW/ - AtkinsRéalis Group Inc. (TSX: ATRL), a world-class engineering services and nuclear company with offices around the world, has been selected by Hydro One Networks Inc. (Hydro One), an Ontario-based company with almost 10,000 employees, for a multi-year Owner's Engineer mandate for the expansion of their Bowmanville Switching Station. The expansion of the substation, situated across from the Darlington Nuclear Generating Station, will enable grid connection of the planned build of four Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) by Ontario Power Generation (OPG) at the adjacent Darlington New Nuclear Project site.

"Delivering nation-building energy projects in Canada and around the world has been a hallmark of our work in the Power & Renewables sector for decades," commented Ian L. Edwards, President and Chief Executive Officer, AtkinsRéalis. "Our sector has been involved in marquee projects globally, supported by our centre of excellence in Canada. AtkinsRéalis is perfectly suited to deliver work on this substation, which is a critical link in supplying electricity from the Darlington New Nuclear Project to the people of southern Ontario, including Toronto."  

Additional electricity is required to meet southern Ontario's soaring power consumption, driven by population growth and key demand factors such as new electrified rail transport in Canada's largest regional economic engine. GO Transit electrification and the new Ontario Line alone are anticipated to add a further 100 megawatts of energy demand to Toronto's system.1

AtkinsRéalis' Power & Renewables experts will provide engineering, as well as project & program management services to Hydro One. The engineering work will support the establishment of a new 500 kV switchyard next to the existing substation site-- doubling its capacity and expanding the site by an anticipated 30-40 acres.2 This new capacity will relieve current power congestion along transmission corridors in the area. The expansion is planned for completion prior to all four SMRs coming online.

In addition to the installation of the new switchyard, the project will consist of the installation of new breakers, disconnect switches, and all supporting equipment. The site is also being planned to contain a new multi-purpose building to house control, protection, telecommunication and auxiliary equipment. New line entrance structures will enable the interconnection of high voltage transmission lines to evacuate the power generated into the Hydro One power grid.

"Transmission and distribution infrastructure is one of the backbones of Ontario's significant electricity build-out program and requires sustained expansion," said Stéphanie Vaillancourt, President, Canada, AtkinsRéalis. "Building on our extensive national portfolio of transmission and distribution work, this mandate exemplifies how we win and deliver work with our differentiated end-to-end capabilities, while strengthening our relationship with Hydro One."

AtkinsRéalis is currently executing several major Power & Renewables initiatives important to Canada. These projects include:

  • Owner's Engineer role on the Champlain Hudson Power Express project: a 545 km buried cable transmission line carrying 1,250 MW of clean power from Quebec to New York City.3
  • Engineering and design services being provided to TES Canada for their Projet Mauricie green hydrogen hub in Quebec. It will be one of the largest clean hydrogen projects in Canada, producing up to 70,000 tonnes per year.4
  • Project management--including engineering, integrated procurement, and construction management-- for the refurbishment of Rio Tinto's Isle-Maligne hydropower plant in Alma, Quebec.5

Internationally, AtkinsRéalis is involved in the Interconnection Project between Egypt and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with a 3,000 MW, 1,300 km transmission line: the first of its kind in the region and benefiting over 20 million people.6

About AtkinsRéalis  
Created by the integration of long-standing organizations dating back to 1911, AtkinsRéalis is a world-class engineering services and nuclear company dedicated to engineering a better future for our planet and its people. We create sustainable solutions that connect people, data and technology to transform the world's infrastructure and energy systems. We deploy global capabilities locally to our clients and deliver unique end-to-end services across the whole life cycle of an asset including consulting, advisory & environmental services, intelligent networks & cybersecurity, design & engineering, procurement, project & construction management, operations & maintenance, decommissioning and capital. The breadth and depth of our capabilities are delivered to clients in strategic sectors such as Engineering Services, Nuclear and Capital.  News and information are available at  www.atkinsrealis.com  or follow us LinkedIn . 

Forward-Looking Statements
References in this press release to the "Company", "AtkinsRéalis", "we", us" and "our" mean, as the context may require, AtkinsRéalis Group Inc.  or all or some of its subsidiaries or joint arrangements or associates. Statements made in this press release that describe the Company's expectations or strategies constitute "forward-looking statements", which can be identified by the use of the conditional or forward-looking terminology such as "estimates", "expects", "forecasts", "intends", "may", "objective", "plans", "projects", "should", "will", "likely", or other variations thereon. Forward-looking statements also include any other statements that do not refer to historical facts. The Company cautions that, by their nature, forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, and that its actual actions or results could differ materially from those expressed or implied in such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are presented for the purpose of assisting investors and others in understanding certain key elements of the Company's current objectives, strategic priorities, expectations and plans, and in obtaining a better understanding of the Company's business and anticipated operating environment. Readers are cautioned that such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. Forward-looking statements made in this press release are based on a number of assumptions believed by the Company to be reasonable as at the date hereof. The assumptions are set out throughout the Company's 2024 annual management disclosure & analysis ("2024 MD&A") (particularly in the sections entitled "Critical Accounting Judgments and Key Sources of Estimation Uncertainty" and "How We Analyze and Report our Results") filed with the securities regulatory authorities in Canada, available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.com  and on the Company's website at www.atkinsrealis.com  under the "Investors" section. If these assumptions are inaccurate, the Company's actual results could differ materially from those expressed or implied in such forward-looking statements. In addition, important risk factors could cause the Company's assumptions and estimates to be inaccurate and actual results or events to differ materially from those expressed in or implied by these forward-looking statements. Those risks are identified in the 2024 MD&A (particularly in the section entitled "Risk and Uncertainties"), as may be updated from time to time in the Company's interim quarterly MD&A,  are not exhaustive. The forward-looking statements herein reflect the Company's expectations as at the date of this press release and are subject to change after this date. The Company does not undertake to update publicly or to revise any such forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless required by applicable legislation or regulation.  The forward-looking information and statements contained herein are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement.

SOURCE AtkinsRéalis

For more information:  Media, Laurence Myre Leroux, Manager, External Communications and Media Relations, [email protected]; Investors, Denis Jasmin, Vice President, Investor Relations, 514-393-8000, ext. 57553, [email protected]

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